returns could be delayed if no deal is struck by january 1st. >>> nbc's tracie potts joins us now from washington to break it all down. good morning. what's happening in today's vote? >> reporter: a couple of votes today. let's break it down for you, mara. the big vote that the republicans are pushing to have everyone under a million dollars keep their tax rates low. president obama says this defies lodger, that people making $800,000, $900,000 should be paying higher taxes. republicans think they can get it through the house. no luck of getting it through the democratic senate at all. second vote which is to sweeten the deal for the republicans who are skeptical is to replace the automatic cuts, a lot of which would hit the defense department with cuts in other programs like the health law and food stamps. >> and tracie, who's coming out in favor of this plan "b"? >> well, among those in favor of it, off qusly john boehner, the house speaker and also paul ryan, the chair of the budget committee and former vice presidential candidate. there have been a lot of questions about whether or